Phantom 2040 (MD, 1995)
Graphics-7.5 Sound-6.5 Control-8 Challenge-7 Story-6.5
Level Design-7 Frustration-7.5 Fun-7 Originality-6.5
Overall Score-7
+
Metroid-inspired gameplay (partially interconnected world, there are missions but you're free to partially explore other areas to collect various items and the outcome of a mission can be a bit different depending on your route through the areas or what you choose to do in story scenes, upgradeable health and energy/ammo bars as well as hook/rope length, armor and energy usage upgrades, equipment inventory, ammo/energy and health/first aid items that you can save for later, hidden items, destructible walls, etc.)
Start out with a grappling hook (controls pretty well, better at wall climbing than swinging (you tend to end up closer and closer to the ceiling when trying to swing somewhere quickly)) - also stuns many enemies for a few seconds
Enemies pretty much always drop either ammo or health (with a few exceptions though such as the yellow swordsmen in the sewers above the jungle)
Pretty fast paced
Cutscenes can be sped up (press a button to go to the next piece of dialogue)
Some large and detailed sprites
Some good bosses (final boss, train boss, space station cannon, first main boss (cyborg Graft's walker robot) gradually falls apart and takes on a bike form as his final form, second phase of the remote controlled walker boss)
Pretty satisfying sfx overall (some are better than on SNES like the first aid kit pick up sound)
8-way targeting
Decent intro and cutscenes in-between missions
Slide kick move (stops as soon as you release the button)
More parallax in the university area than on SNES
Exploding boxes (often containing items) also hit the enemies
Runs at a somewhat higher resolution than on SNES (showing more of the level at once horizontally which actually benefits gameplay)
Sometimes more varied or detailed backgrounds than on SNES (warehouse area, spotlights were added to the background in the ship segment after the first boss, more areas have a pure black background on SNES) and there are more blinking lights here and there
Additional cutscene after the Graft cocoon boss fight with some extra exposition and directions not seen in the SNES version (though it is a bit strange that he can help you and then claims to be controlled by Rebecca when you meet him in the maximum building later on - if she could place a bomb in him then she could probably also record anything he says or sees; on SNES there are no directions after you've beaten cocoon Graft on the Prometheus (since most of the following cutscenes where he gives you codes to the Triad storage room in the Maximum building and where Guran tells you to choose between going to the space station or aforementioned building was cut out))
A few more enemies here and there than on SNES
Decent art direction (similar to cyberpunk style)
Auto-fire (default weapon, homing missiles)
Touching enemies generally won't damage phantom (like in the Shinobi games; one exception is the swordsmen)
Very small knockback from taking a hit (none while sliding)
Throw enemies (walk up close and punch while pressing up)
Some innovative and/or memorable level design (sewer segment, cannon pipe, missile and space station cannon disarming, escape after the biomonster, final phase of the final boss)
Multiple endings (four good endings and sixteen (!) bad ones, getting all four yields a pretty satisfying additional scene with the corrupt news reporter)
Partial six button support (the grappling hook is mapped to the Z button and targeting while still mapped to the mode button (weird) but X and Y could've been used for weapon switching and running respectively, you also can't reconfigure the buttons without an emulator)
Some cool weapons and gadgets (homing missiles, bomb, pellets)
Proper death animation for the final boss (unlike on SNES where the game goes directly to the ending cutscene)
Some areas change appearance and shape during the course of the game (city streets, university, warehouse)
Faster wall climbing controls than on SNES (plus you can keep holding down the jump button while mashing the grapple button to climb even faster here)
The brief loading (2-3 seconds) that happens right before some bosses (the boss outside the university, before Tracker, before the second gang leader) in the SNES version doesn't happen here
The western jungle area is easier to navigate and both jungle areas are more forgiving on MD (no death pits (moving platforms are added once you get to the harvester mission on SNES but why not right away?), easier to go straight up right away in the western jungle)
Easier vertical jumps
Destructible walls are visually noticeable (you have to shoot them to spot them on SNES - except for the vine floor one,
Blinking lights on exploding boxes appear when they're hit here (acting as a countdown to the explosion) whereas on SNES they're always blinking and explode right away when hit, faster screen transitions than on SNES, you can spam the jump kick while falling next to and facing walls in the MD version (lets you descend slower and search for destructible walls)
Jump kicks don't get interrupted by hitting a ceiling with your head on MD (on SNES you also start falling immediately after touching the ceiling)
The Break weapon (missiles that stick to the enemy before exploding) has a much higher rate of fire on MD
Somewhat more creepy lower lab area in this version (the area is fully lit on SNES)
Decent variety
The double equip issue in the SNES version is fixed here (weapons like the spread shot can be abused on SNES by mapping them to two buttons and holding down both at once to pretty much double your rate of fire)
Can turn around while crouching in this version (have to hold the "stand still while targeting" button on SNES)
On SNES the areas above the jungle are closed off in the beginning whereas on MD you can explore most of them right away (lets you open a few barriers in other areas in advance)
Tighter camera when swinging on ceilings covered by conveyor belts (on SNES the camera doesn't keep up in the Biot factory so you can't see where you're going)
Somewhat easier to find the space station computer on MD (it's still as hard to find the path leading to it though and you didn't get any clue that you needed to find it to get a good ending)
Added charge sfx for the space station cannon on MD
+/-
No tutorial or examination feature
Jump kick also serves as a hover jump of sorts
Need to destroy a barrier's respective terminal switch/generator to open it (there are several of these per area)
Double tap to run
Need to pause to switch weapons (at least you can manually map whatever you have to A or B)
Plenty of 90s edginess
You don't get the fire retardant pellets after the first boss (chopper/drop ship) in this version (you have to find them in the western jungle after the power shortage instead)
Passwords instead of a save feature (not that long though and much shorter than in the SNES version)
Smaller ammo supply for the default gun on MD
Different music compositions than the SNES version in several areas (some ambient music on SNES)
Sometimes different color schemes compared to the SNES version (sometimes better, sometimes worse, the MD version could've been more optimized in some cases)
Bosses tend to have an explosion animation showing that you've hit their weak spot here whereas on SNES they'll blink instead
Though it doesn't matter much the camera seems placed slightly lower on SNES (meaning the phantom is closer to the center of the screen in the lower parts of areas) - doesn't really help with leaps of faith
Can't move while crouching
Frequently respawning enemies in some areas (industrial area flyers) - stunning them helps a bit
The stun feature for the grappling hook is a bit OP (should've been limited by ammo)
Select which area to go to via the hub map screen (most areas are unlocked after the first mission)
Pilot a walker vehicle through some short segments (rare and not very interesting)
No energy 1/4 upgrade in this version (=75% less energy usage from weapons, hidden at the bottom of the Biot factory missile silo on SNES)
You can use the panther in gameplay as a special attack but only for a short period of time (unless you use a code that lets you always have it)
Doesn't show health bars for bosses
Some weapons aren't very useful against regular enemies (chargeable fire shot, missile shot)
Respawn on the spot (health and energy is refilled, makes extra lives feel kind of redundant since there's no difference between losing a life and using tanks)
The shipment mission might've been more interesting with a time limit on it (you're encouraged to escape from enemies anyway)
The Mars boss fight (inside the prometheus ship) is interesting but should've been a bit harder (you just need to stand far enough away to make the door open - only slightly harder on SNES due to there being a couple more soldiers accompanying him)
The triads (three female triplets) are fun to fight but go down too quickly
More damage from enemies and bosses overall compared to the SNES version (the jungle enemies, the sewer sludge, the arms of the final boss's first form kill instantly here and seem to have a bigger hit box as well)
Easier final phase of the final boss than on SNES (it's hard enough on MD since it restarts if you die and more interesting as well)
The hellevator segment would've been better if enemies always spawned both above and below you
No soldiers hanging from ropes in the prometheus segment (air traffic area and they weren't animated at all (plus it was weird that they functioned as platforms and couldn't be shot) so the change makes sense though they could've been touched up and used elsewhere)
Inaccessible areas aren't shown on the hub map and a few area names are slightly different compared to the SNES version
Slightly different hook swinging controls (it's a little bit easier to grab onto ceilings that are just in reach and to build some momentum on MD but a little bit easier to quickly swing horizontally on SNES)
Faster falling speed than on SNES
Slightly faster cutscenes than on SNES
The MD version doesn't have Guran standing around in the lair right after the first mission (on SNES you can talk to him and he'll remind you about where to go next at first but later on will just nag you about being in the lair instead of on a mission)
The first main boss (Graft) has a somewhat harder last phase on SNES (it's easy to take him out from behind on MD)
The audio clues for destructible walls are very noticeable on SNES whereas on MD there aren't any audio clues from what I could tell
No death pit in the industry area in the MD version
Easier to stun the swordsmen than in the SNES version (they can block it with their swords which is a bit more interesting)
Swordsmen don't block your shots in the MD version (interesting feature but the entire sprite can block the shot on SNES (even from behind) and they will rarely drop something when killed)
Transparent sewer sludge on SNES (actually looks a bit worse)
The spread shot works differently and is OP on SNES (spreads in 8 directions after releasing the button plus it's very strong and cheap)
Tracker and the harvester bosses in the jungle are accompanied by spawning robot soldiers on SNES (but they also move slower; the harvesters make more of an entrance on MD by being hidden until you destroy the terminal they're guarding)
The valves explode after use on MD while they stay the same on SNES
The first Maximum mission is a bit harder on SNES (can't open the gate to 2x damage in advance (also can't access the maximum level 1 area after a certain point on SNES so you'll have to wait for 2x damage until going after the Triads), more frequently spawning robot foot soldier enemies, wall crawlers instead of heavy armor/human soldiers, harder to find the terminals - this was done better on MD as there are power ups in the hard to find spots while most of the terminals are out in the open)
The walker boss/Maxwell Jr. in the jungle is easier on SNES (it isn't accompanied by the small flying drones)
Caged Archer disappears faster before the Graft fight in the Maximum building on MD (you barely see him disappear)
No wall crawlers in the second level of the Maximum building on MD
Somewhat harder biot factory area on SNES (more frequently spawning robot foot soldier enemies, the bosses seem a bit weaker though)
No time limit for the missile disarming segment?
Somewhat harder cocoon Graft boss on SNES (accompanied by turrets and you have to hit him from below first, then Graft himself as a third phase though that part is very easy)
Somewhat harder last mini-boss in the Biot Factory on MD (moving platform over lava)
The MD version features one or two walker vehicles to use in the Biot Factory which aren't there on SNES
Much fewer shotgun soldiers in the museum on MD (most of them are replaced by the heavy armor/human soldiers for some reason)
The Armor (temporary invincibility whenever you want for very little energy) power up is overpowered
The boomerang could've been more useful if you could grab items with it (for example the hard to reach health/energy upgrade in the ruins or the 1-up in the second air traffic area)
There are a couple more 1-ups to find in the hidden shuttle path after the Triads on MD
Faster background scrolling on MD during the hellevator segment
Fewer grenade launcher enemies in the ruins than on SNES
The space station area is somewhat harder on SNES (orbital enemies respawn a bit more frequently in most parts of the area, orbital enemies shoot homing projectiles, orbital enemies can shoot while slightly off screen whereas on MD they'll always take at least one step into the screen before attacking)
On SNES it's more common for enemies to walk off ledges (falling down to the platform below)
There are fewer mines in the museum on MD and they're less dangerous as well since they take longer to trigger
In this version you don't get to fight the gang leader in the museum on top of the dinosaur skeleton (you fight him below it instead) but he is slightly harder as he has a spread shot attack
-
No area maps (the jungle area is a big maze, )
Somewhat far between passwords (need to beat more than one boss to get your first)
Can't refill health and ammo in the lair
Some hit detection issues when jumping against walls (getting into smaller spaces is easier if you do a jump kick)
Trial & error (can't go back after entering the space port in chapter 6 (energy 1/2, damage increaser and energy bar upgrade to find here) and the area doesn't seem accessible earler on in this version (which means you can't get 100%?), space station computer location, the story summary doesn't mention Tracker going to the industrial area (you'll end up there by going right after the warehouse blows up but it's just as likely that you'll exit downwards and start exploring other areas as it is that you'll find him), pretty easy to miss taking the shuttle to the space station/orbital platform after defeating the triads (need to destroy a piece of the ceiling instead of taking the obvious exit path downwards), there's a hidden ~30 second timer during the cannon battle on the space station (you'll get a "try again" ending if you don't destroy the five energy packs in time during the fight and you only get one shot - you get more time to do it on SNES), the only way to damage Sean One (space station boss) without taking damage or having the fight take forever is to make him swoop down by standing at the edge of the screen, can't re-enter the sewer area with the second gang leader (to get invisibility to the west of the boss area if you didn't get it earlier on), no in-game explanation of new weapons and sometimes no notification that you've found one (the story summary mode is better about this but worse in some other regards), not much point in exploring the jungle fully early on since the barrier terminals respawn after the power shortage (you do want to take the ladders to other areas though), not going to the ship factory after killing the yellow gang leader in the sewer makes the area inaccessible (you can redo the sewer part to unlock it again though), leaps of faith (frustrating when you jump into sludge since it kills you almost immediately) - can't look up/down, sometimes hard to tell if a wall is destructible until you've attacked it once (causing a small explosion) or seen a non-damaged one (sometimes there are nearby walls looking more damaged that you can't destroy), sometimes a bit hard to spot the exit from an area (easier on SNES since exit ladders are marked with a skull symbol there), sometimes you can move between sub areas through where one stops scrolling and sometimes not (the edge of the screen is used as a wall instead of there being a wall there), for a few enemies there's no indication that you're damaging them unless you're using a melee attack (pretty sure they always blink on SNES) and there's still no indication if using the wave attack, no indication that you're damaging the final boss correctly either (took me a while to realise that you need to destroy the arms first, the second phase is more obvious, for the third phase you need to hit the three things above his head and one mistake kills you!))
Somewhat confusing story (several characters to keep track of and it introduces and disposes of people that help Phantom very suddenly, no "meanwhile, bla bla" narration between dialogue scenes, can't review mission briefings or story summaries in-game (odd that there's an option in the main menu to pick between cutscenes and point lists instead of always including the list as a feature)), some slowdown (seems worse when you enter some areas but then it mostly disappears after a while - not an emulation error, a lot worse on SNES overall)
Sometimes goofy looking sprites and animations (some enemies fall off screen at a weird angle when killed)
The first boss takes too long to kill considering how simple its pattern is (goes down much quicker on SNES)
No proper control config or difficulty options (except for no. of lives to start with)
Could've used the six button controller more (run button, weapon switch button)
Somewhat worse directions than on SNES (on SNES the two computer terminals in the middle of the lair have separate uses - left for the hub map and right for info on places and people, no title cards when entering different sub areas, no animation of Tracker flying upwards with the panther when entering the industrial area nor mission text telling you to find the grappling hook upgrade)
A bit odd that the maximum building's entrance opens from you being invisible rather than you having something like an enemy costume on (or waiting until enemies enter the building while invisible)
Difficulty spikes (at the harvester/robot spider and walker bosses in the jungle (simply touching them does a ton of damage and the walker's ranged attacks are pretty much unavoidable)) and dips (easy cocoon Graft boss, easy wildlife museum and biot factory areas, easy enemies at the space station, trenchcoat guy (Tracker) in the jungle (he has one more attack on SNES but is still easy there)
When you enter the lower university lab segment (very easy enemies here), boring and kind of dated looking biomonster boss (drawn out fight, easy to dodge attacks) - at least its death is cool, several later bosses)
Phantom stops running when moving between sub-areas
Some weapons like the chargeable fire shot and boomerang shot don't look particularly satisfying when used
The game repeats a visit to the sewers and the gang leader boss there (just has a different color; still slightly harder due to the sludge and the level is pretty fun but it could've taken place elsewhere - there's no sludge during this fight in the SNES version)
No interactive hypercycle (hover bike) segment
The final boss music keeps playing throughout the ending and staff roll (doesn't really fit and the SNES version has a proper ending track)
Unskippable company logos on boot-up
Minor boss gauntlet near the end (two repeated bosses with the same patterns but more hp (technically three if you faced the train boss earlier on)) - could've had new patterns or at least've taken less time to beat
Repeats some enemies too much (the robot soldiers and the swordsmen)
Some backtracking here and there (a bit less in the ruins area than on SNES)
Somewhat sloppy hit detection for the remote controlled walker boss
Pretty bad FM sound design overall and the SNES game has better sounding music, odd menu sounds ("Uh!"), sometimes scratchy sampled sfx (a bit better on SNES overall though that game sounds pretty muffled)
Can't climb ladders (not really needed but feels unfinished)
Missing a few graphical effects and details seen in the SNES version (the cannon pipe exterior, Maxwell Jr.'s updated sprite after his defeat, better jeep mini-boss death animation on SNES and it gives you a reward (it can also respawn if you kill it quickly though), the tv station logo and transition effect seen briefly in several cutscenes, hover cars and logo at the end of the intro, the mask sprite and Archer's colleague in the first cutscene, the hover craft on the hub map, the transparent water in the foreground of the warehouse exterior/docks area and the wave effect when on Mars's boat, wavy water and cloud parallax in one area, smoke effect in the industrial area, a few sfx like the scream at the title screen (which sounded a bit silly but still))
Fewer colors on screen than on SNES (very noticeable in some backgrounds and on the flamethrower soldiers)
Some background parts lack animation (sludge and lava, industrial area background)
Some dumb story aspects ("a rare photosynthetic plant" - you mean like most plants?, "virtual reality remote control", brainwave transfer through panther blood, why would the tv station show the triads?)
MD version is missing some enemies (the shield robots (ship factory/shipment segment/prometheus segment - on SNES they don't actually block your attacks though)
The small spider-like creatures spawning from organic tubes in the background in the lower lab area, the mines in the museum)
Unlike on SNES there are no turrets in the Triads' rooms and they're all the same color here - might be mission choice related?
The Tracker fight in the air traffic segment is a bit harder on SNES since you can't just duck to avoid all the shots
Bugs:
-In story summary mode, Mr. Cairo sometimes won't appear at the point where you need to choose if you should tell him the location of the political summit or not (you'd still go to the wildlife museum and keep playing as normal except for fighting the gang leader there but still) - I reloaded a save from before this point and suddenly it worked so I'm not sure what triggers it. Only difference in my playing that I'm sure of is that I went and grabbed the Spirit 1/2 item in the Biot factory when it worked.
Notes:
MD vs. SNES comparison
Level Design-7 Frustration-7.5 Fun-7 Originality-6.5
Overall Score-7
+
Metroid-inspired gameplay (partially interconnected world, there are missions but you're free to partially explore other areas to collect various items and the outcome of a mission can be a bit different depending on your route through the areas or what you choose to do in story scenes, upgradeable health and energy/ammo bars as well as hook/rope length, armor and energy usage upgrades, equipment inventory, ammo/energy and health/first aid items that you can save for later, hidden items, destructible walls, etc.)
Start out with a grappling hook (controls pretty well, better at wall climbing than swinging (you tend to end up closer and closer to the ceiling when trying to swing somewhere quickly)) - also stuns many enemies for a few seconds
Enemies pretty much always drop either ammo or health (with a few exceptions though such as the yellow swordsmen in the sewers above the jungle)
Pretty fast paced
Cutscenes can be sped up (press a button to go to the next piece of dialogue)
Some large and detailed sprites
Some good bosses (final boss, train boss, space station cannon, first main boss (cyborg Graft's walker robot) gradually falls apart and takes on a bike form as his final form, second phase of the remote controlled walker boss)
Pretty satisfying sfx overall (some are better than on SNES like the first aid kit pick up sound)
8-way targeting
Decent intro and cutscenes in-between missions
Slide kick move (stops as soon as you release the button)
More parallax in the university area than on SNES
Exploding boxes (often containing items) also hit the enemies
Runs at a somewhat higher resolution than on SNES (showing more of the level at once horizontally which actually benefits gameplay)
Sometimes more varied or detailed backgrounds than on SNES (warehouse area, spotlights were added to the background in the ship segment after the first boss, more areas have a pure black background on SNES) and there are more blinking lights here and there
Additional cutscene after the Graft cocoon boss fight with some extra exposition and directions not seen in the SNES version (though it is a bit strange that he can help you and then claims to be controlled by Rebecca when you meet him in the maximum building later on - if she could place a bomb in him then she could probably also record anything he says or sees; on SNES there are no directions after you've beaten cocoon Graft on the Prometheus (since most of the following cutscenes where he gives you codes to the Triad storage room in the Maximum building and where Guran tells you to choose between going to the space station or aforementioned building was cut out))
A few more enemies here and there than on SNES
Decent art direction (similar to cyberpunk style)
Auto-fire (default weapon, homing missiles)
Touching enemies generally won't damage phantom (like in the Shinobi games; one exception is the swordsmen)
Very small knockback from taking a hit (none while sliding)
Throw enemies (walk up close and punch while pressing up)
Some innovative and/or memorable level design (sewer segment, cannon pipe, missile and space station cannon disarming, escape after the biomonster, final phase of the final boss)
Multiple endings (four good endings and sixteen (!) bad ones, getting all four yields a pretty satisfying additional scene with the corrupt news reporter)
Partial six button support (the grappling hook is mapped to the Z button and targeting while still mapped to the mode button (weird) but X and Y could've been used for weapon switching and running respectively, you also can't reconfigure the buttons without an emulator)
Some cool weapons and gadgets (homing missiles, bomb, pellets)
Proper death animation for the final boss (unlike on SNES where the game goes directly to the ending cutscene)
Some areas change appearance and shape during the course of the game (city streets, university, warehouse)
Faster wall climbing controls than on SNES (plus you can keep holding down the jump button while mashing the grapple button to climb even faster here)
The brief loading (2-3 seconds) that happens right before some bosses (the boss outside the university, before Tracker, before the second gang leader) in the SNES version doesn't happen here
The western jungle area is easier to navigate and both jungle areas are more forgiving on MD (no death pits (moving platforms are added once you get to the harvester mission on SNES but why not right away?), easier to go straight up right away in the western jungle)
Easier vertical jumps
Destructible walls are visually noticeable (you have to shoot them to spot them on SNES - except for the vine floor one,
Blinking lights on exploding boxes appear when they're hit here (acting as a countdown to the explosion) whereas on SNES they're always blinking and explode right away when hit, faster screen transitions than on SNES, you can spam the jump kick while falling next to and facing walls in the MD version (lets you descend slower and search for destructible walls)
Jump kicks don't get interrupted by hitting a ceiling with your head on MD (on SNES you also start falling immediately after touching the ceiling)
The Break weapon (missiles that stick to the enemy before exploding) has a much higher rate of fire on MD
Somewhat more creepy lower lab area in this version (the area is fully lit on SNES)
Decent variety
The double equip issue in the SNES version is fixed here (weapons like the spread shot can be abused on SNES by mapping them to two buttons and holding down both at once to pretty much double your rate of fire)
Can turn around while crouching in this version (have to hold the "stand still while targeting" button on SNES)
On SNES the areas above the jungle are closed off in the beginning whereas on MD you can explore most of them right away (lets you open a few barriers in other areas in advance)
Tighter camera when swinging on ceilings covered by conveyor belts (on SNES the camera doesn't keep up in the Biot factory so you can't see where you're going)
Somewhat easier to find the space station computer on MD (it's still as hard to find the path leading to it though and you didn't get any clue that you needed to find it to get a good ending)
Added charge sfx for the space station cannon on MD
+/-
No tutorial or examination feature
Jump kick also serves as a hover jump of sorts
Need to destroy a barrier's respective terminal switch/generator to open it (there are several of these per area)
Double tap to run
Need to pause to switch weapons (at least you can manually map whatever you have to A or B)
Plenty of 90s edginess
You don't get the fire retardant pellets after the first boss (chopper/drop ship) in this version (you have to find them in the western jungle after the power shortage instead)
Passwords instead of a save feature (not that long though and much shorter than in the SNES version)
Smaller ammo supply for the default gun on MD
Different music compositions than the SNES version in several areas (some ambient music on SNES)
Sometimes different color schemes compared to the SNES version (sometimes better, sometimes worse, the MD version could've been more optimized in some cases)
Bosses tend to have an explosion animation showing that you've hit their weak spot here whereas on SNES they'll blink instead
Though it doesn't matter much the camera seems placed slightly lower on SNES (meaning the phantom is closer to the center of the screen in the lower parts of areas) - doesn't really help with leaps of faith
Can't move while crouching
Frequently respawning enemies in some areas (industrial area flyers) - stunning them helps a bit
The stun feature for the grappling hook is a bit OP (should've been limited by ammo)
Select which area to go to via the hub map screen (most areas are unlocked after the first mission)
Pilot a walker vehicle through some short segments (rare and not very interesting)
No energy 1/4 upgrade in this version (=75% less energy usage from weapons, hidden at the bottom of the Biot factory missile silo on SNES)
You can use the panther in gameplay as a special attack but only for a short period of time (unless you use a code that lets you always have it)
Doesn't show health bars for bosses
Some weapons aren't very useful against regular enemies (chargeable fire shot, missile shot)
Respawn on the spot (health and energy is refilled, makes extra lives feel kind of redundant since there's no difference between losing a life and using tanks)
The shipment mission might've been more interesting with a time limit on it (you're encouraged to escape from enemies anyway)
The Mars boss fight (inside the prometheus ship) is interesting but should've been a bit harder (you just need to stand far enough away to make the door open - only slightly harder on SNES due to there being a couple more soldiers accompanying him)
The triads (three female triplets) are fun to fight but go down too quickly
More damage from enemies and bosses overall compared to the SNES version (the jungle enemies, the sewer sludge, the arms of the final boss's first form kill instantly here and seem to have a bigger hit box as well)
Easier final phase of the final boss than on SNES (it's hard enough on MD since it restarts if you die and more interesting as well)
The hellevator segment would've been better if enemies always spawned both above and below you
No soldiers hanging from ropes in the prometheus segment (air traffic area and they weren't animated at all (plus it was weird that they functioned as platforms and couldn't be shot) so the change makes sense though they could've been touched up and used elsewhere)
Inaccessible areas aren't shown on the hub map and a few area names are slightly different compared to the SNES version
Slightly different hook swinging controls (it's a little bit easier to grab onto ceilings that are just in reach and to build some momentum on MD but a little bit easier to quickly swing horizontally on SNES)
Faster falling speed than on SNES
Slightly faster cutscenes than on SNES
The MD version doesn't have Guran standing around in the lair right after the first mission (on SNES you can talk to him and he'll remind you about where to go next at first but later on will just nag you about being in the lair instead of on a mission)
The first main boss (Graft) has a somewhat harder last phase on SNES (it's easy to take him out from behind on MD)
The audio clues for destructible walls are very noticeable on SNES whereas on MD there aren't any audio clues from what I could tell
No death pit in the industry area in the MD version
Easier to stun the swordsmen than in the SNES version (they can block it with their swords which is a bit more interesting)
Swordsmen don't block your shots in the MD version (interesting feature but the entire sprite can block the shot on SNES (even from behind) and they will rarely drop something when killed)
Transparent sewer sludge on SNES (actually looks a bit worse)
The spread shot works differently and is OP on SNES (spreads in 8 directions after releasing the button plus it's very strong and cheap)
Tracker and the harvester bosses in the jungle are accompanied by spawning robot soldiers on SNES (but they also move slower; the harvesters make more of an entrance on MD by being hidden until you destroy the terminal they're guarding)
The valves explode after use on MD while they stay the same on SNES
The first Maximum mission is a bit harder on SNES (can't open the gate to 2x damage in advance (also can't access the maximum level 1 area after a certain point on SNES so you'll have to wait for 2x damage until going after the Triads), more frequently spawning robot foot soldier enemies, wall crawlers instead of heavy armor/human soldiers, harder to find the terminals - this was done better on MD as there are power ups in the hard to find spots while most of the terminals are out in the open)
The walker boss/Maxwell Jr. in the jungle is easier on SNES (it isn't accompanied by the small flying drones)
Caged Archer disappears faster before the Graft fight in the Maximum building on MD (you barely see him disappear)
No wall crawlers in the second level of the Maximum building on MD
Somewhat harder biot factory area on SNES (more frequently spawning robot foot soldier enemies, the bosses seem a bit weaker though)
No time limit for the missile disarming segment?
Somewhat harder cocoon Graft boss on SNES (accompanied by turrets and you have to hit him from below first, then Graft himself as a third phase though that part is very easy)
Somewhat harder last mini-boss in the Biot Factory on MD (moving platform over lava)
The MD version features one or two walker vehicles to use in the Biot Factory which aren't there on SNES
Much fewer shotgun soldiers in the museum on MD (most of them are replaced by the heavy armor/human soldiers for some reason)
The Armor (temporary invincibility whenever you want for very little energy) power up is overpowered
The boomerang could've been more useful if you could grab items with it (for example the hard to reach health/energy upgrade in the ruins or the 1-up in the second air traffic area)
There are a couple more 1-ups to find in the hidden shuttle path after the Triads on MD
Faster background scrolling on MD during the hellevator segment
Fewer grenade launcher enemies in the ruins than on SNES
The space station area is somewhat harder on SNES (orbital enemies respawn a bit more frequently in most parts of the area, orbital enemies shoot homing projectiles, orbital enemies can shoot while slightly off screen whereas on MD they'll always take at least one step into the screen before attacking)
On SNES it's more common for enemies to walk off ledges (falling down to the platform below)
There are fewer mines in the museum on MD and they're less dangerous as well since they take longer to trigger
In this version you don't get to fight the gang leader in the museum on top of the dinosaur skeleton (you fight him below it instead) but he is slightly harder as he has a spread shot attack
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No area maps (the jungle area is a big maze, )
Somewhat far between passwords (need to beat more than one boss to get your first)
Can't refill health and ammo in the lair
Some hit detection issues when jumping against walls (getting into smaller spaces is easier if you do a jump kick)
Trial & error (can't go back after entering the space port in chapter 6 (energy 1/2, damage increaser and energy bar upgrade to find here) and the area doesn't seem accessible earler on in this version (which means you can't get 100%?), space station computer location, the story summary doesn't mention Tracker going to the industrial area (you'll end up there by going right after the warehouse blows up but it's just as likely that you'll exit downwards and start exploring other areas as it is that you'll find him), pretty easy to miss taking the shuttle to the space station/orbital platform after defeating the triads (need to destroy a piece of the ceiling instead of taking the obvious exit path downwards), there's a hidden ~30 second timer during the cannon battle on the space station (you'll get a "try again" ending if you don't destroy the five energy packs in time during the fight and you only get one shot - you get more time to do it on SNES), the only way to damage Sean One (space station boss) without taking damage or having the fight take forever is to make him swoop down by standing at the edge of the screen, can't re-enter the sewer area with the second gang leader (to get invisibility to the west of the boss area if you didn't get it earlier on), no in-game explanation of new weapons and sometimes no notification that you've found one (the story summary mode is better about this but worse in some other regards), not much point in exploring the jungle fully early on since the barrier terminals respawn after the power shortage (you do want to take the ladders to other areas though), not going to the ship factory after killing the yellow gang leader in the sewer makes the area inaccessible (you can redo the sewer part to unlock it again though), leaps of faith (frustrating when you jump into sludge since it kills you almost immediately) - can't look up/down, sometimes hard to tell if a wall is destructible until you've attacked it once (causing a small explosion) or seen a non-damaged one (sometimes there are nearby walls looking more damaged that you can't destroy), sometimes a bit hard to spot the exit from an area (easier on SNES since exit ladders are marked with a skull symbol there), sometimes you can move between sub areas through where one stops scrolling and sometimes not (the edge of the screen is used as a wall instead of there being a wall there), for a few enemies there's no indication that you're damaging them unless you're using a melee attack (pretty sure they always blink on SNES) and there's still no indication if using the wave attack, no indication that you're damaging the final boss correctly either (took me a while to realise that you need to destroy the arms first, the second phase is more obvious, for the third phase you need to hit the three things above his head and one mistake kills you!))
Somewhat confusing story (several characters to keep track of and it introduces and disposes of people that help Phantom very suddenly, no "meanwhile, bla bla" narration between dialogue scenes, can't review mission briefings or story summaries in-game (odd that there's an option in the main menu to pick between cutscenes and point lists instead of always including the list as a feature)), some slowdown (seems worse when you enter some areas but then it mostly disappears after a while - not an emulation error, a lot worse on SNES overall)
Sometimes goofy looking sprites and animations (some enemies fall off screen at a weird angle when killed)
The first boss takes too long to kill considering how simple its pattern is (goes down much quicker on SNES)
No proper control config or difficulty options (except for no. of lives to start with)
Could've used the six button controller more (run button, weapon switch button)
Somewhat worse directions than on SNES (on SNES the two computer terminals in the middle of the lair have separate uses - left for the hub map and right for info on places and people, no title cards when entering different sub areas, no animation of Tracker flying upwards with the panther when entering the industrial area nor mission text telling you to find the grappling hook upgrade)
A bit odd that the maximum building's entrance opens from you being invisible rather than you having something like an enemy costume on (or waiting until enemies enter the building while invisible)
Difficulty spikes (at the harvester/robot spider and walker bosses in the jungle (simply touching them does a ton of damage and the walker's ranged attacks are pretty much unavoidable)) and dips (easy cocoon Graft boss, easy wildlife museum and biot factory areas, easy enemies at the space station, trenchcoat guy (Tracker) in the jungle (he has one more attack on SNES but is still easy there)
When you enter the lower university lab segment (very easy enemies here), boring and kind of dated looking biomonster boss (drawn out fight, easy to dodge attacks) - at least its death is cool, several later bosses)
Phantom stops running when moving between sub-areas
Some weapons like the chargeable fire shot and boomerang shot don't look particularly satisfying when used
The game repeats a visit to the sewers and the gang leader boss there (just has a different color; still slightly harder due to the sludge and the level is pretty fun but it could've taken place elsewhere - there's no sludge during this fight in the SNES version)
No interactive hypercycle (hover bike) segment
The final boss music keeps playing throughout the ending and staff roll (doesn't really fit and the SNES version has a proper ending track)
Unskippable company logos on boot-up
Minor boss gauntlet near the end (two repeated bosses with the same patterns but more hp (technically three if you faced the train boss earlier on)) - could've had new patterns or at least've taken less time to beat
Repeats some enemies too much (the robot soldiers and the swordsmen)
Some backtracking here and there (a bit less in the ruins area than on SNES)
Somewhat sloppy hit detection for the remote controlled walker boss
Pretty bad FM sound design overall and the SNES game has better sounding music, odd menu sounds ("Uh!"), sometimes scratchy sampled sfx (a bit better on SNES overall though that game sounds pretty muffled)
Can't climb ladders (not really needed but feels unfinished)
Missing a few graphical effects and details seen in the SNES version (the cannon pipe exterior, Maxwell Jr.'s updated sprite after his defeat, better jeep mini-boss death animation on SNES and it gives you a reward (it can also respawn if you kill it quickly though), the tv station logo and transition effect seen briefly in several cutscenes, hover cars and logo at the end of the intro, the mask sprite and Archer's colleague in the first cutscene, the hover craft on the hub map, the transparent water in the foreground of the warehouse exterior/docks area and the wave effect when on Mars's boat, wavy water and cloud parallax in one area, smoke effect in the industrial area, a few sfx like the scream at the title screen (which sounded a bit silly but still))
Fewer colors on screen than on SNES (very noticeable in some backgrounds and on the flamethrower soldiers)
Some background parts lack animation (sludge and lava, industrial area background)
Some dumb story aspects ("a rare photosynthetic plant" - you mean like most plants?, "virtual reality remote control", brainwave transfer through panther blood, why would the tv station show the triads?)
MD version is missing some enemies (the shield robots (ship factory/shipment segment/prometheus segment - on SNES they don't actually block your attacks though)
The small spider-like creatures spawning from organic tubes in the background in the lower lab area, the mines in the museum)
Unlike on SNES there are no turrets in the Triads' rooms and they're all the same color here - might be mission choice related?
The Tracker fight in the air traffic segment is a bit harder on SNES since you can't just duck to avoid all the shots
Bugs:
-In story summary mode, Mr. Cairo sometimes won't appear at the point where you need to choose if you should tell him the location of the political summit or not (you'd still go to the wildlife museum and keep playing as normal except for fighting the gang leader there but still) - I reloaded a save from before this point and suddenly it worked so I'm not sure what triggers it. Only difference in my playing that I'm sure of is that I went and grabbed the Spirit 1/2 item in the Biot factory when it worked.
Notes:
MD vs. SNES comparison